Motion exercisers of this type permit continuous movement of the knee and the hip joints without exposing the leg to any weight-bearing load, a fact which can accelerate healing. The passive motion avoids stiffening of the joints during prolonged confinement to bed rest.
Motion exercisers already known consist of an inclined substructure, of a carrying element preferably driven by a motor, and a lower leg support incorporating a foot rest. These exercisers can only be used while the patient is awake, since lifting from the stretched position into the bent position is effected via the thigh, that means, by the entire leg forcing the patient to bend the knee himself or herself. However, this capability is not met with postoperative and with seriously ill patients.
It has however been stated that it is favorable to start with passive motion immediately following surgery and to effect kinesitherapy as far as possible continuously to prevent stiffening, to promote blood supply, and to mobilize healing tendencies. The possibility of immediate postoperative application, however is not realized by the earlier motion exercisers since such equipment can only be used during the patient's absolute waking state. Maximum clinical application of motion exercisers relates to passive mobilization of the hip and knee joints. Up to now clinical after-treatment had a substantial disadvantage, because not only a passive but also an active training of the leg muscle is considered to be decisive to ensure blood supply and especially to avoid a rapidly growing inactivity atrophy of the musculature. It is the patient's additional active cooperation during his waking state, to an extent which depends upon the patient's healing progress, which results in a positive physiotherapeutic effect.